The DogHike Blog

Advocates celebrate grassroots effort

By John Davis
Poughkeepsie Journal

The placement of the final concrete panel on the Walkway Over the Hudson on Friday morning marked the realization of a dream to convert the old Poughkeepsie-Highland railroad bridge into the longest pedestrian span in the world.

A crane lowered the 15-ton panel into place in a ceremony attended by about 100. An American flag atop the crane whipped in the wind on the sunny day.

“It’s amazing how the dream has stayed alive for so long,” Town of Lloyd Supervisor Ray Costantino said. “I think it’s going to be a boon to the area.”

Fred Schaeffer of Pleasant Valley, an early advocate of the project, was among the those who participated while enjoying the views of the Hudson River and of the Poughkeepsie cityscape. He recounted how he gained support for the project over the years by bringing individuals out onto the bridge and letting them see for themselves the breathtaking views.

“This was only a project that could be done if people believed in it,” said Schaeffer, board chairman of Walkway Over the Hudson, the nonprofit organization that owns the bridge.

One of the individuals who was sold on the project is Rob Dyson of the Dyson Foundation, which contributed more than $2 million toward the $38.8 million project. Another was Ned Sullivan, president of Scenic Hudson, the Poughkeepsie-based land preservation organization that is donating $1 million.

New York state agencies are spending more than $18 million and the federal government is funding more than $2 million. The walkway group is working to raise an additional $11.6 million.

“It is truly a private-public partnership,” said Amy Husten, walkway group executive director.

What made the project a success, Sullivan said, is the initiative of grassroots advocates such as Schaeffer and Bill Sepe of Poughkeepsie who were able to generate enthusiasm and gain fiscal backing from public officials such as Gov. David Paterson, state Sen. Steve Saland, R-Poughkeepsie, and U.S. Rep. Maurice Hinchey, D-Hurley.

“This is the truly a Quadricentennial legacy project,” Sullivan said.

The 25- to 35-feet wide concrete walkway, which is 1.25 miles long, is expected to boost the local economies on both sides of the river – $14.6 million a year in new spending, the walkway group estimates.

“This is the eighth wonder of the world,” said Charles North, president and CEO of the Dutchess County Regional Chamber of Commerce.

State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation, which alone contributed $16.5 million for the project, will eventually manage the walkway as a state park.

The crew that built the walkway, from several local unions, worked through the winter, when the wind-chill factor on the bridge was sometimes below zero, said Dustin Mase, chief inspector for Bergmann Associates, project engineer.

This summer, on some days, they worked up to 13 hours long, to get the project done on time for the upcoming Oct. 3 grand opening.

“A lot of these guys put a lot of blood, sweat and tears into this project,” Mase said.

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